WARRIORS: The Lost Clans, A new Prophecy
by RandomCookieCat
Summary: a story me and my friends are working on, this has nothing to do with the real warrior characters, but there are some we created.
1. prologue

**Okay, this is my first fan fic, it is about completely different characters than the real warriors books. Please don't hate, I spent allot of time on this.**

_Silent bodies slunk through the trees _toward the river, the island in the middle swarmed with the bodies of cats. the leader of the group's tail twitched and they raced across the stepping stones and onto the island. Burningstar raced over to a pale silver and white tom, her flame colored pelt flashing in the sunlight.

"Quickstar! Why did you ask Forestclan to come here?" she growled at him. Quickstar smirked, his eyes glinting with pleasure when he saw the confusion in her eyes. Quickstar laughed a deep, menacing laugh.

"Really? You haven't figured it out yet?" he hissed, "Forestclan has had their own side of the river for too long, it's time to learn how to share." He lunged at her, his claws raking across her face.

"LightningClan, attack!" Quickstar screeched, lunging again, snapping his jaws around Burningstar's leg. Then all of a sudden Lightningclan came rushing towards her.

Everything became a frenzy. Burningstar couldn't tell who was who,what was happening, and … how many of her cats have died yet. She spotted Tallstripe, his dark golden pelt matted with blood, one of his eyes missing. Burningstar limped limped over as fast as she could, but then a limp body crashed into her. she screeched in pain as she felt her spine snap, when she slammed into one of the four giant stones. Choking up blood she scrambled to her paws, then collapsed, but then a tortoiseshell she-cat ran over to her, catching her before she fell.

"Gotcha." the tortoiseshell panted. Blood filled Burningstar's mouth leaking out of her jaws

"Thank you." she gagged. _I have to keep fighting, I _have _to_ she pleaded to herself. Burningstar looked around and spotted Quickstar, he had barely a scratch on him.

"Dewfeather, I need to end this now." Burningstar gasped. Dewfeather helped Burningstar to her feet, gasping in pain.

"He is down, hurry!" Dewfeather whispered. Burningstar nodded to Dewfeather. She stumbled as quietly as she could to Quickstar. Burningstar crouched down and sprang at him, landing on his shoulders.

"What the-" Quickstar screeched "Hey! Get off of me!" he rolled over, crushing her against the ground. _I can't fight him alone, I am weak and hurt _Burningstar thought as pain stabbed through her back _I need help!_ Then suddenly the weight vanished. Burningstar scrambled to her paws. Glancing over to see who helped her. To her surprize it was Tallstripe, his empty eye socket leaking blood.

"Nice timing." Burningstar panted,

"Any time." he growled. They both rammed into Quickstar, knocking him over and pressed him up against a tree. Tallstripe held Quickstar against the tree while Burningstar raked her claws along his stomach. They finally let him go when he was pleading for mercy so long blood gushed out of his mouth.

"Please, please!" he begged "Let me go! I'll call off the battle!" Burningstar lowered her face to his,

"You better, you Starclan cursed chunk of badger dung!" she spat, making him flinch.

"Every lost life is on your paws." Tallstripe hissed. Burningstar stepped back,

"Get your greedy face out of here!" she screeched. Quickstar scrambled to his paws and raced to the edge of the island, blood dripping from his stomach. He stood there, his eyes wide in fear

"Lightningclan retreat!" he yowled in terror. A Lightningclan cat yowled in protest but they stopped shortly when a Forestclan cat clawed him. There was a moments silence, then all of the Lightningclan warriors fled to join their leader. They all raced past him

"One day Burningstar, I _will_ get that land," he growled at her.

"Oh, shut _up,_ you stupid fox heart!" a Forestclan cat yowled scratching him across his face, making him run back to his clan. There were yowls of victory as he ran away, his tail between his legs. Burningstar stood there, her legs shaking, then she collapsed in pain.


	2. Chapter 1

**I will post chapter 2 after I get five reviews. So if you like it, review! (btw, this is my first fan fic, so plz don't hate too much) :3**

_Fernkit padded out of the camp, her sister and_ _friends following_ close behind.

"Guys! Wait up!" Eclipsekit whined, stumbling over her small, fuzzy paws. They stopped and waited for her to catch up. Eclipsekit, her beautiful black and white fur glistening in the moonlight, yawned.

"I'm tired," she sighed.

"We had to get out before any cat noticed, otherwise we would have been spotted," Eaglekit whispered. Eclipsekit glared at her.

"Well we can't all have pelts that look like mud!" she hissed. Eaglekit stood up.

"My pelt does _not _look like _mud_!" Eaglekit screeched. Eclipsekit and Fernkit slapped their tails over her mouth.

"Stop fighting or we'll all be caught!" Fernkit hissed as they slowly took their tails off of Eaglekit's mouth. Eaglekit snorted, spitting out fur.

"Lets get going!" Eclipsekit growled, slightly quieter than Eaglekit.

The three kits quietly padded to the cloud oak.

"What are we doing exactly?" Fernkit asked. Eclipsekit padded forward, fluffing out her chest fur.

"Every other cat has only made it half way up, but we're going to climb all the way up to the top!" she purred. They all looked at each other, then began the long and difficult climb up the tree.

Fernkit boosted herself onto the first branch that was only several fox lengths from the ground.

"Man, this is hard!" she panted to herself. She looked up to see Eclipsekit trying to jump up to the next branch. She squeaked in surprise as her foot slipped while she was jumping to the next branch.

"Help!" she wailed, holding on to the branch by one paw. Eaglekit lightly jumped down, grabbing Eclipsekit by the scruff of her neck.

"Now I need help!" she grunted around Eclipsekit's neck fur. Fernkit scrambled up to them.

"Hang on!" Fernkit mewed, she dug their claws into Eaglekit's haunches. Eaglekit winced in pain as their claws dug into her haunches. _My claws are slipping!_ Fernkit realized, glancing at Eclipsekit and saw the fear in her eyes. _Starclan help me!_ she begged, her claws slid a little bit more, then she was falling.

Leaves and branches battered her face as she fell, Fernkit heard a distant yowl in fear. Her stomach lurched as the ground came rushing towards her.

"Starclan help me!" Fernkit wailed. She heard several thuds. Fernkit cringed as she saw the ground less than a fox length away from her. She felt a sharp pain in her spine, then there was nothing.

"Fernkit! Fernkit! Fernkit!" Fernkit opened her eyes groggily, blurred shapes standing over her.

"Silverflight?" Fernkit croaked. The shapes started to become less blurry. Silverflight sat in front of her.

"Fernkit! Are you okay?" she sniffed.

"Yes," Fernkit yawned "Where are Eaglekit and Eclipsekit?"

"Fernkit, are you finally awake?" Eclipsekit asked from behind her. Fernkit turned around wincing as her wounds shifted and gasped again as she saw blood crusted all over her and matted fur. Fernkit frowned, looking at Eclipsekit's unnaturally bent paw, Eclipsekit winced as she shifted onto her other side.

"Where's Eaglekit?" Fernkit asked looking around her.

"Eaglekit accidentally opened up her wound again," Eclipsekit mewed. Just then Eaglekit came limping in, fresh cobwebs and herbs clung to her side.

"Eaglekit!" Fernkit gasped "Are you _okay_?" Eaglekit nodded, too tired to speak, and flopped down next to Eclipsekit.

"Hey, Fernkit, you only have a couple scratches on you! Why didn't you get as hurt as us?" Eclipsekit complained. Fernkit looked over her shoulder to look at her back, it only had a couple of shallow scratches.

"I don't know why." Fernkit replied puzzled. "I feel fine, and look fine, I bet I'm good enough to go," Fernkit stood up, her legs shaking. Dewfeather raced in.

"Fernkit! Lay down!" she meowed. Fernkit looked at her confused, then she heard gasps behind her.

"Fernkit, your leg!" Eaglekit gasped. Fernkit looked down at her back leg,

"My _leg_!" Fernkit screeched. Falling over onto her nest.

"Over dramatic much?" Eclipsekit whispered to Eaglekit, and Eaglekit cuffed her over the ear.

"Ya, like you weren't bawling and freaking out when you found out you only had a sprained paw, and a scratch on your shoulder." she hissed. Eclipsekit gaped at her,

"You have no proof!" Eclipsekit whimpered, looking embarrassed.

"No, it's ok." Fernkit sighed "I know that I was being over dramatic, it just that I was surprised, thats all." Silverflight padded into the den, when she saw Fernkit's face, she dashed over to Dewfeather and began to whisper furiously into her ear.

"Well I'm _sorry_!" Dewfeather growled back "I was in the nursery, helping Snowshadow!",

"I'm sorry," Silverflight meowed "it's just that I'm so worried for my kits and Greyheart is sick so I bet she is worried too..." Dewfeather snorted and padded up to Eaglekit,

"How is your scratch doing Eaglekit?" asked Dewfeather while nosing the cobweb wrap. Eaglekit licked her paw,

"It's fine, but sometimes it hurts a lot." Eaglekit said. Dewfeather nodded in understanding,

"I'll have to give you some poppy seeds if that happens again." she meowed. Dewfeather turned to Eclipsekit,

" And are you ok? Is your paw feeling better?" Eclipsekit stood up and limped over to Dewfeather.

" There's almost no pain now!" purred Eclipsekit,

"That's wonderful," Dewfeather said. She padded over to Fernkit,

"And how are you feeling?" Dewfeather asked her, sniffing the shallow scratches on her back.

"I'm fine." Fernkit meowed. Dewfeather nodded. Glancing over at Silverflight, Eaglekit saw her mother looking really anxious and worried.

"Are they doing ok? Will they heal? Will they still be able to be warriors?" Silverflight panicked

"Silverflight. Come with me," meowed Dewfeather. Silverflight whimpered and followed Dewfeather into the back of the cave. Eclipsekit made a choking sound, then burst out laughing.

"What's wrong with her?" Fernkit asked Eaglekit,

"Dewfeather gave her something when she was panicking earlier." She replied "I guess they have a weird effects on kits." Fernkit shrugged,

"Maybe, but this is Eclipsekit we're talking about." She meowed,

"That's true." Eaglekit agreed. Fernkit stretched,

"I'm tired." she yawned,

"Me two." Eaglekit sighed,

"Can someone please pass the mouse whiskers." Eclipsekit meowed drowsily, then passed out into her nest.

When the kits finally fell asleep, Eaglekit heard someone gasp and opened one of her eyes. She saw Silverflight shaking and whimpering by Dewfeather.

"Guys! Wake up!" Eaglekit poked Fernkit until she was awake,

"What the heck Eaglekit! I was trying to sleep!" whined Fernkit.

"But look at Silverflight!" Eaglekit meowed quietly. Both of them gazed at the queen and gasped wide limped over to Silverflight and Dewfeather.

"No! Fernkit come back!" whispered Eaglekit

"Silverflight?" Fernkit meowed to her mother "Are you ok? What's wrong?" A look of guilt quickly flashed across Dewfeather's face.

"Fernkit, go back to your nest," Dewfeather softly said to Fernkit, "Your mother is suffering from...shock. Please go to your sister. I will take care of your mother."

"What made her so shocked?" Fernkit persisted, Dewfeather glanced at Silverflight,

"She is worried about you kits, it scared her when the dawn air patrol came back carrying all of you." Dewfeather meowed. Fernkit tipped her head to one side,

"Did you give her the same thing you gave Eclipsekit?" She questioned her, flicking her ears at the still sleeping kit. Dewfeather cleared her throat,

"At least she's sleeping, and you should be to." she narrowed her eyes "Now get back to your nest." Fernkit shrank down and crawled back to her nest next to her friends. Dewfeather turned around,

"Silverflight, if you have any more troubles, come to me." Dewfeather told her, Silverflight nodded and padded out of the den. Dewfeather reached into a cleft in the wall and pulled out some hairy looking leaves. She turned around and padded to the door,pausing, she looked back at the kits.

"I am going to give Snowshadow some borage and poppy seeds, ok? I will be back soon." Fernkit walked back toward her sisters with her head down,

" I'm worried about Silverflight.." Fernkit whimpered.

"I know, something is definitely wrong here. And I bet that its something to do with us," Eaglekit announced.

"Well lets just go to sleep before Eclipsekit wakes up and annoys the heck out of us." she added. Fernkit nodded

"Ya." she meowed.


	3. Chapter 2

**I am too impatient! sorry. well here is the next chapter!**

Eaglekit rolled her eyes as Eclipsekit and Fernkit chased a leaf around camp.I _was never like that when I was smaller... _she thought. With a sigh Eaglekit walked over to Dewfeather,

"When can we go back to the nursery?" she asked. Dewfeather glanced at Eaglekit with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes.

"The other kits have been asking me every sunrise for the past moon." Dewfeather replied," How come this is your first time asking?"

"Well it has been obvious that we were not well enough to go back then, but now everyone looks healthy and healed." Eaglekit explained," Well, except for Fernkit; that's why we can't go back to the nursery, right? You don't want Fernkit to feel bad,"

Dewfeather quickly looked away from Eaglekit,

"So I see you've figured it out; that Fernkit will never be a warrior," whispered Dewfeather "but how did you figure it out Eaglekit. Eclipsekit doesn't seem to suspect a thing, Fernkit doesn't even think anything is wrong."

Eaglekit shrugged,

"It's obvious. Fernkit never had anything drastically wrong with her scratch-wise, but she has a lame leg. Me and Eclipsekit's scratches and cuts have all healed, so it's obviously Fernkit's leg," she took a breath,"plus, look at the way Fernkit moves. See how when she jumps to catch the leaf, she can't successfully make it into the air? Well that's because of her leg. I know that you already know this Dewfeather, but you asked me, so I answered." Eaglekit finished and started washing the fur around her scar. She glanced up and saw Dewfeather's mouth gaped open.

"You are really mature for your age, Eaglekit; I'm surprised you figured all this out. And considering you will be made an apprentice in a few sunrises, you seem extraordinarily calm." Dewfeather had a new respectful glint in her eyes, "You could easily be the best medicine cat the Clans have ever seen!"

Eaglekit looked disapprovingly at the medicine cat, "You know that that won't happen. That is Fernkit's destiney, not mine," Eaglekit started padding away from the medicine cat,

"I'm going to go see how my friends are doing, Dewfeather. You should check on Snowshadow and her kits, they are a moon old now after all!"

It was the day of the three kits' apprentice ceremonies, and Silverflight was grooming Eaglekit ferociously. She had just got done washing Fernkit and Eclipsekit was sitting a fox-length away eyes shining.

This was the day that Eaglekit had been dreading for the past few sunrises. She knew that Fernkit would be made into a medicine cat apprentice, but her sister didn't know. Eaglekit just didn't want to see the look on Fernkit's face when she found out that she would never be a warrior. Plus being an apprentice would mean that she would get bossed around by her mentor and put through boring stuff that she already knew how to do. _This is going to_ _be a _long _apprenticeship_, thought Eaglekit. Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard Burningstar's call,

"All cats old enough to climb trees gather here under the Mossy Rock for a Clan meeting!" As the cats of ForestClan started streaming out of the corners of the clearing, Burningstar continued,

"It is that time again when three of our kits become apprentices. Eaglekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed." Eaglekit stepped forward towards the Mossy Rock,

"From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known Eaglepaw. Your mentor will be Sunfang." The flame colored tom's orange eyes widened in surprise, "Sunfang, I hope you pass down all your knowledge and courage to Eaglepaw." Sunfang stepped forward to Eaglepaw and touched noses with her. _Sunfang is a decent warrior. Hopefully he will be a wonderful mentor,_ When Eaglekit walked back to her mother, she heard Silverflight whisper to Sunfang,

"Be careful, Eaglepaw can outsmart any warrior any day, she will be a handful!" Sunfang purred,

"I'll be sure to teach her _something_,"

"Be quiet!" hissed Beartooth. Burningstar was watching Silverflight and Sunfang waiting for them to finished,

"Ok, continuing. Eclipsekit, please step forward." Eclipsekit practically bounced up to Burningstar, "You are now six moons old and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Eclipsepaw." the newly appointed apprentice couldn't sit still as Burningstar called her mentors name,

"Tallstripe, it has been a long time since you have had an apprentice. I hope you teach this apprentice as well as you taught Beartooth." Tallstripe walked up to Eclipsepaw and touched noses with the quivering apprentice.

"Don't worry Eclipsepaw, I will make you the best apprentice ever." Tallstripe whispered to Eclipsepaw.

"I'm sure you will." Burningstar said to Tallstripe. They both stared affectionately at each other for a few seconds. As the mentor and apprentice touched noses, Eaglepaw felt a hollow cold feeling in her stomach she recognized as dread. Hard, cold, dread. Eaglepaw flinched as she heard Burningstar call Fernkit's name.

"It is with deep regret and sympathy that I must say this: Fernkit, you will be walking the path of a medicine cat starting today." Eaglepaw heard gasps around the clearing and murmurs of understanding and sympathy.

"_WHAT_?!" screeched Fernkit, "_NO_! I am _perfectly_ fine! I want to be warrior! Not a...a..._MEDICINE CAT_!" She stood there shaking in terror. Burningstar shook her head,

"You would have never had been able to do anything, you can barely jump!" she meowed.

"But but… I… just… fine. I will prove myself to you that I am of use to ForestClan." Fernkit meowed, her tail whipping back and forth in frustration, Dewfeather started saying the ancient ritual words,

"Cats of ForestClan, as you know, I will not be around forever. So it's time I took an apprentice. Your next medicine cat will be Fernpaw,"

"Fernpaw, do you accept the post of apprentice to Dewfeather?" meowed Burningstar

"Fine," Fernpaw grunted.

"Then at the half-moon, you must travel to the Moonfall to be accepted by StarClan before the other medicine cats,"

"The good wishes of all ForestClan will go with you." Burningstar said.

"Eaglepaw!"

"Eclipsepaw!"

"Fernpaw!" yowled all of ForestClan.

**Hoped you liked that! if you want to read more warriors stories (i am not done with this fanfic though ;D) search Iceberry3666, she has awesome stories, though don't hate her grammar too much. i am also making another that is called WARRIORS: The Lost Clans, A High School Story! Thx!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Yolo ppl, okay, so here is the 3rd chapter, enjoy! Oh, and I forgot to do the disclaimer, I DO NOT own warriors. (but it would be AWESOME if I did!)**

Eclipsepaw ran up to Eaglepaw with Fernpaw limping along behind, with her head down.

"I'm going to the medicine cat's den." Fernpaw meowed sulkily, waving her tail goodbye. At that moment Sunfang, Tallstripe, and Whisperlake padded up to the apprentices.

"Come one, we will show you the border." Tallstripe meowed gesturing his ears towards the camp entrance. _Finally! _Eaglepaw thought, padding swiftly after her mentor, her sisters on her tail. The patrol padded out of the camp.

"Wow!" Eclipsepaw exclaimed, Whisperlake snorted

"It's not like this is your first time out of camp." she meowed. Tallstripe flicked her with his tail,

"Be nice." he murmured to her. Something rustled in the undergrowth,Tallstripe signaled them to stop, while Sunfang crouched down and began creeping towards the bush. He paused for a moment, making sure that the wind was blowing the right way, then he pounced, flattening the bush. He crawled back out carrying a rabbit,

"That is how you hunt, if you are training to be a Runner." Sunfang meowed around the rabbit. He dug a hole close to the bush, placed the rabbit in it, and filled the hole with dirt.

They all started padding towards the river border.

"This is the border we have with the river." Whisperlake meowed, looking longingly up at the trees. Eaglepaw looked up to, then padded to the base of one of the trees and began clawing her way all looked at her in amazement. She looked down from the lowest branch,

"What?" she asked. Sunfang cleared his throat.

"You are a Runner Eaglepaw, not a Treejumper." he meowed. Eaglepaw's shoulders drooped, and she slunk down the tree gracefully. _I wish I _could _be a Treejumper_ Eaglepaw thought, snorting. Whisperlake looked at Sunfang hopefully, but he just shook his head.

"Hey, do we have a border with any of the other clans?" Eclipsepaw asked,

"No, all of our territory takes up one side of the river." Tallstripe replied.

"Then why hasn't the other clans fought us for it?" Eclipsepaw continued, all the mentors exchanged a glance,

"That's enough history lessons today," Whisperlake meowed,

"How about we head toward Skyoak." The two apprentices flinched as they remembered their fall only one moon ago.

"Oh, ya. How about the Snake Field?" suggested Sunfang.

"Yay! I bet I'll catch a snake before either of you!" Eclipsepaw yowled as she ran into the forest. Eaglepaw stifled a _mrow _of amusement as she remembered that Eclipsepaw didn't know the way to the fields. Tallstripe purred,

"It's this way," he meowed, heading in the other direction. Eaglepaw looked at the trees longingly, then she raced up into one of the oaks.

"Eaglepaw! Come back down!" Sunfang yowled angrily. She crouched down, trying to hide from them, _I don't want to come down! I want to be a Treejumper! _She thought sadly. Whisperlake sighed,

"I'll get her down." she meowed, starting to climb up the tree. She was just below Eaglepaw's branch, when Eaglepaw saw Eclipsepaw whipping her head to look at a bush. She saw the apprentice wriggle under the bush, Eaglepaw narrowed her eyes at her. She jumped and almost fell out of the tree as Whisperlake made it onto her branch and grabbed hold of her scruff. Eaglepaw struggled against the warrior, then her paw slipped and they both fell out of the tree.

"I got you!" Eaglepaw heard Sunfang yowl as him and Tallstripe dived under them, having them both landing on their backs. He stood up, dumping them of his back, them cuffed Eaglepaw on the side of the head, at that moment Eclipsepaw scrambled out from under the bush

"Intruder!" Eaglepaw heard her hiss to the patrol, but she ignored her.

"In_truder_!" Eaglepaw heard Eclipsepaw meow agitatedly through gritted teeth. The warriors whipped around and looked at her, Eaglepaw pushed past them and sprang at the rouge.

"You better get out of here, because if you don't, _I'll rip your ears off_!" the apprentice was shaking with surprise at her own rage. Her eyes suddenly softened

"Ok. Listen. I'm sorry. But you are on ForestClan territory and rogues are _not_ welcome in here." Eaglepaw forced her fur to lay flat.

"What's your name anyways?" she asked.

"Moon," he replied.

"Well _Moon._ You better get a move on or we _will _rip your ears off," Tallstripe was suddenly standing next to the two cats.

"Tallstripe!" Eaglepaw gasped, "I'm so sorry! I was just..just.."

"Just being a foolish young apprentice, now get back to the patrol" Tallstripe meowed sternly, Eaglepaw's shoulders drooped and she padded back. Moon stood there, looking at them,

"Okay, I don't get how you can tell if this is your territory; all I smell is dirt and trees." he meowed. Tallstripe snorted,

"That _is _our scent, all Forestclan cats smell like that." he growled. Moon backed away,

"Hey, I never said I didn't like the smell." Moon meowed defensively. The bush rustled and the rest of the patrol stepped out, Sunfang first, then Eclipsepaw looking proud, then Whisperlake, her nose wrinkled in disgust.

"What stinks?" she coughed, snorting. Moon growled at her.

Eclipsepaw looked at her mentor,

"What are we going to do with him?" she quietly asked Tallstripe. He paused, thinking,

"We will take him off our territory." he meowed, stepping forward "Follow me." he padded away with Moon behind him, Sunfang stepped forward, and began following them.

"Come on, we better follow them, but _stay back_." Whisperlake meowed sternly, padding after them, with the apprentices following close behind.

Once they made it to the border, Tallstripe ordered them to stay there while he led Moon away. He turned Moon around and was pushing him away from the border,

"Head back to the camp." he meowed over his shoulder. Sunfang nodded and led them back to camp.


	5. Chapter 4

"_First you chew up the_ roots_, then you paste it _onto the wound, the burdock root is supposed to stop the infection." Dewfeather meowed to Fernpaw, explaining how to stop a rat bite from infection. Fernpaw sighed with boredom, her ears twitched as she heard the brambles at the entrance tunnel shake. She sat up straight as she heard Eaglepaws voice. Dewfeather noticed,

"You may be done, go talk to your friends." she sighed.

"Yay!" Fernpaw squealed, limping off to her sister.

"What is the territory like?" she meowed to Eaglepaw. Eaglepaw paused.

"I'll tell you over fresh-kill," she meowed, and padded away to the fresh-kill pile. Just then, Fernpaw remembered that she was starving as she limped after Eaglepaw. Eaglepaw grabbed a shrew, and Fernpaw grabbed a plump mouse. They padded over to the moss rocks at the edge of camp.

"Now will you tell me what happened?" Fernpaw persisted, Eaglepaw sighed.

"Fine," she meowed "Tallstripe, Sunfang, and Whisperlake were showing us the lake border when all of a sudden a rogue appeared. He was hunting on our territory!" Eaglepaw paused taking a breath, then she continued,

"Eclipsepaw was the one who spotted him actually. He was a silver tom named Moon, we talked to him for a bit. Then Tallstripe led him off the border." Eclipsepaw padded over to them with a crow in her jaws, she set it down right next to them.

"Don't forget that you were climbing trees," she meowed, Fernpaw looked at Eaglepaw,

"I thought you were training to be a runner?" Fernpaw meowed questionly.

"I don't want to be a runner!" Eaglepaw spat.

"Then why don't you just tell Burningstar that?" Eclipsepaw asked.

"I don't know," Eaglepaw meowed quietly. Fernpaw nuzzled her sister.

"It's ok, maybe we can ask her sometime?" she meowed comfortingly to her sister.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Fernpaw snapped her head up, after dosing with Eaglepaw, she looked around to see who said that. Bloodpaw and Shadowpaw went rolling past her, _looks like they are fighting, again_ she thought grimly.

"Shadowpaw!" Frosttiger yowled to his apprentice, "Quit fighting with your brother and get your tail over here for an evening Runner border patrol!" Shadowpaw quickly untangled himself from his brother and raced over to his mentor. He stuck his tongue out at his brother before he went through the entrance tunnel for patrol. Bloodpaw snorted, glancing around the clearing, his eyes stopped on Fernpaw and Eaglepaw. He padded over to them.

"So, is your brother being a pain in the tail again?" Eaglepaw asked yawning. She had just woken up. Bloodpaw snorted again.

"He is _so_ annoying," he meowed.

"What was it you guys were fighting about this time?" Fernpaw asked.

"We were fighting over who got the nest closest to the center of the den," Bloodpaw meowed.

"I would think neither of you, there's still six more apprentices that are older than you, and the ones closest to your age, not including us, are over three moons older than you," Fernpaw meowed.

"Lostpaw, Rubypaw, and Sunpaw want to be near the edge since they are almost warriors and they want to get used to the cold," Bloodpaw mumbled. Eaglepaw glanced up into the sky.

"It's getting late," she meowed, "let's go to our nests." Bloodpaw and Eaglepaw nodded in agreement. Eaglepaw sat up and stretched.

"Night," she yawned.

"Night," Fernpaw and Bloodpaw said together, Fernpaws ears grew warm. Bloodpaw quickly looked away. Eaglepaw looked at them confused.

"Okay then, come on Bloodpaw." she meowed, glancing at Fernpaw. Eaglepaw padded over to the apprentices den with Bloodpaw behind her. He glanced over his shoulder at Fernpaw.

"See you tomorrow," he meowed. Fernpaw nodded her head then padded into the medicine cats den, her eyelids drooping.

"Better get a good nights sleep," Dewfeather meowed, herbs muffling her voice as she passed her tired apprentice.

"What's wrong?" Fernpaw asked drowsily."Is Snowshadow having milk troubles again?" Dewfeather nodded padding swiftly out of the den. Fernpaw yawned again,

"I should get some sleep now," she meowed to herself. Fernpaw stumbled into her nest, yawning once again. She curled up into her nest of moss and feathers, eyes closing as she drifted off into sleep.

Fernpaw blinked one eye open at the sound of voices, they were too young to be a warrior's or Dewfeather. Fernpaw raised her head up, glancing over to see that Dewfeather was sleeping peacefully in her nest. Fernpaw turned her head the other way, to the entrance to the den. There were little shadows flitting around the entrance to the den. Fernpaw slid from her nest, her silver pelt blending perfectly with the shadows, she flinched as her limp leg dragged against the ground. _They'll have no trouble hearing me with my leg dragging against the ground!_ she thought, she crawled slower. Fernpaw came close enough to see that the cats at the entrance to the cave was Nightkit and Shadekit, with Lionkit in the lead.

"I bet you can't go in the den without getting in trouble!" Lionkit dared Shadekit, she puffed out her chest,

"I can do it!" she meowed defensively. Shadekit crept into the den, glancing around warily. Fernpaw saw her for a moment, crouching down. She wiggled her haunches and did a very imperfect pounce.

"Get out of here!" she yowled, landing awkwardly. "Do you _know_ how long it took me to collect those herbs?" Shadekit squealed in surprise and raced back to her brother and Lionkit. Sapphirepaw and Sagepaw poked their heads out of the apprentices den and raced over to the kits.

"Fernpaw! Be nicer to the kits!" Sagepaw growled, sweeping the kits away with her tail. Fernpaw snorted.

"It's hard to collect that many herbs, then drying them and putting them away, and then putting them into wounds!" she complained. Sapphirepaw glanced over at Sagepaw,

"Fernpaw, you have one of the _easiest_ jobs in the whole camp," Sapphirepaw pointed out. "Your job is even easier than a _queens_ job." Fernpaw was just about ready to lash out at the two apprentices noses, when the dawn Treejumper patrol came skidding into the camp.

"Lightningclan has declared war!"


	6. Chapter 5

**Okay, this chapter will be long, but please enjoy!**

_Sharpfang; at the head of the patrol yowled, her pelt_ covered in scratches. Dewfeather whisked out of the den, herbs in her jaws, pushing past Fernpaw, and raced over to the patrol. Eaglepaw raced over to Fernpaw, her fur ruffled from sleep.

"What's happening?" she asked between vigorous strokes of her tongue on her pelt.

"I think, Lightningclan is attacking," Fernpaw meowed to her sister. Eaglepaw stopped and looked up.

"_Really_?" she asked, disbelief in her voice. "Then that means this is my first battle!" Suddenly Shadowpaw sprang out backwards from the apprentices den, hissing and spitting.

"Get of my tail you mouse brain!" came Rubypaw's annoyed yowl. Bloodpaw sprang from the den and tackled his brother. _If I have to waste any of my herbs on _that_, I am going to go mad,_ Fernpaw thought angrily.

"Who got the nest?" Fernpaw asked.

"Hm? Oh, Shadowpaw beat the dung out of Bloodpaw, but Bloodpaw snuck into the medicine cat den and grabbed some mouse bile. Shadowpaw woke up this morning, soaked in the stuff," Eaglepaw meowed, not taking her eyes off the fighting brothers. Fernpaw pricked her ears at this.

"I never heard him come into the den, I was up most of the night because I couldn't sleep," she meowed "Then the kits woke me up early with their dares." Eaglepaw looked away thoughtfully,

"Well, I'm stumped, I don't know how he got the mouse bile then," she meowed. Bloodpaw and Shadowpaw were rolling around and fighting with each other, Sapphirepaw and Sagepaw were playing with Lionkit, Shadekit, and Nightkit. Fernpaw stood up,

"How many moons old is Lionkit again?" Fernpaw asked.

"Five, why?" Eaglepaw told her.

"I just have to apologize to them for scaring them this morning," Fernpaw meowed back, Eaglepaw snorted in amusement.

"That sounds like you. What were they doing? Snacking on herbs or attacking you?" she meowed, her voice full of laughter. Fernpaw ignored her and padded over to the kits. Once they spotted her they stopped tackling a ball of moss and raced up to her.

"Hey, I'm sorry that I scared you guys earlier,but you should know better than to sneak into a cats den while they are asleep," Fernpaw meowed.

"It's okay," Nightkit meowed,

"You didn't scare me _that _much," Shadekit squeaked, rolling over onto her back.

"_I _wasn't scared!" Lionkit said proudly puffing out his chest.

"You were to!" Shadekit meowed, scrambling upright. They tussled around on the ground with each other, Nightkit batting at who ever came close enough to him.

"Watch out!" yowled a cat behind Fernpaw. She whipped around, and saw that Bloodpaw and Shadowpaw were racing full speed at her and the kits. Fernpaw batted the kits away and rolled in the other direction, out of the path of the apprentices. Shadowpaw and Bloodpaw sprang apart.

"You know, I'll hate you _forever_ for dumping mouse bile on me!" Shadowpaw spat.

"_Really? That's _what you're mad about?" Bloodpaw asked disbelievingly.

"Of course! Why _wouldn't_ I be?"

"Well, _you're_ the one who's always fighting _me_!" Bloodpaw growled, and then launched another attack on Shadowpaw.

Fernpaw watched the two apprentices fight for a bit, then as they stopped to rest she stepped in between them.

"Stop! Now! You almost hurt those kits!" She scolded them. "So, stop fighting and continue this somewhere where no one can get hurt!"

As the two apprentices stalked back to the apprentice den, eying each other the whole way, Fernpaw called after them, "When you're in a better mood apologize to the kits!"

Snowshadow emerged from the nursery.

"My kits!" she meowed, racing over to Nightkit and Shadekit.

"Snowshadow!" Nightkit and Shadekit said together, racing over to their mother. Greyheart was right behind Snowshadow. She picked Lionkit up and swept back into the nursery. _That was fast_ Fernpaw thought surprised. The clearing quickly emptied. Fernpaw stretched, realizing it was getting late. She was heading towards the medicine den, when all of a sudden Dewfeather came out of the entrance, blocking her path.

"Um, Dewfeather, can I go through?" Fernpaw asked, Dewfeather looked up at the moon,

"It's a half moon," she murmured.

"So?" Fernpaw asked, cocking her head.

"We have to go to the Spirit Caverns," Dewfeather meowed, padding past Fernpaw.

"Well, come on!" she meowed over her shoulder, Fernpaw limped after her as fast as she could.

They had reached the river border of Forestclan by the time the moon had reached the horizon.

"How are we going to get across?" Fernpaw wailed.

"Over here!" Dewfeather called a couple fox lengths away. Fernpaw limped over to her, she stared in dismay as Dewfeather moved a fern aside and showed a path of stones in the water, leading towards the other clans territory.

"I'm _not_ going to do that!" Fernpaw growled,

"Well you'll have to!" Dewfeather growled back, and with that she jumped onto the first stone.

"I can't jump!" Fernpaw meowed to her. "You know I can't!"

"Do you want to come, or are you going to stay here all night?" She answered.

"_Fine_!" she shot back. Fernpaw began to carefully jump to the first stone, then the next, with Dewfeather right behind her. She finally reached the other side,panting. _That was the hardest thing I have ever done! _Fernpaw thought.

They finally reached the Spirit Caverns. Fernpaw started to smell the scent of other cats as they got closer.

"What in the name of Starclan is that _smell!_" She gasped as they got closer to the Spirit Caverns.

"Don't be rude!" Dewfeather scolded. "Thats the scent of other clan's Medicine Cats; Flamespirit, Snowpoppy, Darkmist and his apprentice Glowingpaw." They kept walking, the cavern walls getting smaller and smaller. A loud rumbling noise was coming from up ahead,

"What is that noise?" Fernpaw had to yell above the loud sound now, the scents of the other medicine cats growing stronger.

"You will see soon!" Dewfeather yelled back, they kept padding on, the walls getting so close that they were brushing Fernpaw's flanks, pushing her limp leg behind her, so that she kept stumbling over it.

"Ow!" Fernpaw yowled as she tripped and fell on her nose. Dewfeather just kept padding on, Fernpaw rubbed her nose and limped after her mentor.

"There you are!" Fernpaw heard a pleasant voice from the end of the tunnel. For some reason, the sound of the falls were quieter here. Dewfeather stopped,

"Snowpoppy! Are _all _of the other medicine cats already here?" she asked the cat in front of them. Fernpaw looked around Dewfeather's shoulder to see a graceful young she-cat with amber eyes.

"Yes!" Snowpoppy squealed, reaching over and grabbing Dewfeather by the scruff. Snowpoppy dragged her out of the tunnel and into a large chamber. Fernpaw limped after Dewfeather as fast as she could, once she made it into the chamber, she saw the source of the sound she heard earlier; a waterfall.

"Hello, my name is Glowingpaw" a smooth voice said behind Fernpaw, she whipped around and found herself face to face with a handsome black tabby tom, his blue eyes swimming with curiosity,though there was something else in them too. Fernpaw cleared her throat.

"I am Fernpaw, Dewfeather's apprentice," she meowed to him.

"I am Darkmist's apprentice," Glowingpaw meowed back to her, "I love being a medicine cat!"

"Well _I_ didn't even want to be a medicine cat!" Fernpaw growled, her ears flat against her head.

"Okay! Okay, I was guessing that!" he meowed panicky, looking at her limp leg, and backing away. Fernpaw snorted,

"Good," she meowed and then padded over to Dewfeather. Dewfeather looked down at her apprentice,

"This is the Moon Falls." she meowed. Fernpaw looked at the tumbling current of silvery water. _It's beautiful!_ She thought, padding over to it and was about to put her paw in it when someone cuffed her over the ear.

"What was that for?" Fernpaw whipped around and stood face to face with a black and white tom with green eyes.

"It's not time to share tongues with Starclan yet." the tom meowed, "Oh, and by the way, my name is Darkmist. I believe you have already met my apprentice, Glowingpaw." Fernpaw nodded, and backed up next to Dewfeather.

"When are we going to share tongues with Starclan?" she asked her mentor,

"Right now," Dewfeather meowed and padded over to the Moon Falls, Fernpaw limped after her.

"You go over onto that flat rock right there, you see it?" Dewfeather instructed. Fernpaw nodded, spotting a flat stone slick with the spray from the falls.

"Okay, we lay down on the rock, just close enough to the falls so that the spray can wet out fur." Dewfeather meowed, laying down an the rock.

"I still don't like doing this." Darkmist grumbled, curling up next to Dewfeather. A flame colored tom took a path that led him under the stone, he laid down, the water lapping at his paws. Fernpaw limped carefully onto the stone, a shiver running through her spine as she curled up on the wet surface. She felt the spray lightly running through her fur, and two more bodies press themselves against her.

"Close your eyes and go to sleep, dream of lightness and peace, then you will find Starclan," Snowpoppy whispered in Fernpaw's ear, her breath ruffling her ear fur. Fernpaw closed her eyes obediently, then she felt herself falling.

Fernpaw opened one of her eyes as she felt solid ground beneath her paws. Dewfeather was standing in front of her, along with a strange black and white tom with dazzling green eyes.

"Welcome." he meowed "My name is Leaftail, I was Dewfeather's mentor." Dewfeather nodded in agreement.

"Are you ready to become a medicine cats apprentice?" she asked. Fernpaw looked uncertain, but she sighed, giving in.

"Fine." she meowed, the two mentors nodded, and Dewfeather cleared her throat,

"I, Dewfeather, medicine cat of Forestclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. Fernpaw, do you accept the place of being a medicine cat apprentice?" Dewfeather recited.

"Fine, as I said before. How many times am I going to have to say that?" Fernpaw answered.

Dewfeather and Leaftail exchanged a glance, then continued with the ceremony.

"Then from now on, until you earn your full medicine cat name, you will serve the clan by healing and protecting all of your clan mates. You can never have a mate, should he get in your way, and cause you to favor the cats living under your paws." Dewfeather finished, stepping forward. Fernpaw sighed, she stepped forward and touched noses with her mentor.

"You may wander around until you wake up (and you have to wake up)" Leaftail meowed, beckoning Dewfeather with his tail. She padded after him, disappearing into the trees. Fernpaw sighed, looking up through the trees, _it's almost time to wake up, _she thought, seeing the moon low in the sparkling sky. Fernpaw padded through the trees, pushing aside the brambles, she stumbled into a clearing even smaller than the one she first appeared in. But what really surprised her was the mangy old cat sitting in the corner of the clearing, shadows dappling his tortoiseshell pelt.

"Who- who are you?" Fernpaw stammered. The old tortoiseshell tom laughed,

"Why does it matter to you?" he cackled "But I'll tell you anyways, my name is Wanderingstar, I am the former leader of Lightningclan. But introductions don't matter, I am here to tell you something, this is meant for only you and your sister to hear, tell no one else!" Fernpaw flinched as he stalked up to her. Wanderingstar's eyes grey foggy as he began.

"_When the burning eagle flies down to the sun dappled fern. A dream from the past consumes them both; destroying all they love, and causing them to rise up against the great hunger that is threatening to destroy all._" He finished, looking up at them moon,

"You should go now." Wanderingstar meowed. Fernpaw felt a sudden sharp stab of pain in her leg and looked down to see two droplets of blood slowly forming on her limp limb.

She immediately woke up and lashed out at the nearest thing she could get her claws on; which just happened to be Dewfeather's face. Fernpaw was still dazed and confused from the information she just received.

"What do you think you are doing Fernpaw?!" screeched Dewfeather obviously angry.

"Someone scratched me and I was just defending myself!" Fernpaw growled in her defense.

"Well _someone _wouldn't wake up from her dream" said Darkmist flicking Fernpaw with his tail.

"Hmph"

"Lets head back to camp now, shall we?" meowed Snowpoppy. The medicine cats set out on their way back to their Clans.

"We need to get back quickly" Dewfeather said," LightningClan has declared war on ForestClan, remember? I doubt they have attacked yet, but we need to be hurry. We can't trust that they won't go into battle without their medicine cat." Dewfeather broke into a run.

"I guess. But I doubt they would be _that_ stupid," replied Fernpaw running as best as she could after Dewfeather, "wait, let me take that back, they _would _be that stupid."


	7. Chapter 6

_Eaglepaw yawned as the morning light started to seep through_ the cracks in the brambles. She decided to go and see if Fernpaw was back yet from her 'visit with StarClan'. Eaglepaw got up and stretched, almost kicking Bloodpaw in the face.

"Watch it!" he grumbled, turning over in his nest. Eaglepaw whispered a quick apology and squeezed out of the den. She padded over to the medicine cat's den, and looked inside. Fernpaw was inside fast asleep, while Dewfeather was sorting herbs and whispering to herself basic herb remedies.

"Hi Dewfeather!" Eaglepaw yowled pleased to see Dewfeather and her sister back. Making Dewfeather jump, startled.

"Don't do that Eaglepaw!" she scolded," it's not that nice of a thing to do when a cat is sorting herbs!"

Eaglepaw snickered and said, "I know that Dewfeather, I just thought it would be funny if I could make you jump." she crouched playfully in front of the medicine cat and added, "my prediction was correct. It was _quite _amusing."

"Well _I _predict that _you _need someone to mess around with." Dewfeather replied.

Eaglepaw hopefully glanced at Fernpaw but then her eyes clouded with disappointment as she realized that Fernpaw wouldn't want to wake up. And even if she did, she wouldn't be able to play because of her limp leg.

"I guess I'll have to find another apprentice to mess with." Eaglepaw's eyes sparkled with mischievousness as she suddenly thought of something ,"I'm going to go put some thistles in Saphirepaw's nest! I am a supposed to be a immature apprentice after all!"

She walked away shooting an amused glance at Dewfeather as the medicine cat shook her head in confusion.

Eaglepaw padded out of camp and headed towards a patch of thistles not far away from the place where she had found the rogue. She started to bite of the leaves of a thistle plant when she caught a whiff of other cats. Not knowing which clans smelled like which, Eaglepaw thought the smell was just a hunting patrol. But as she inched her way forward, she picked up a scent of something familiar. _Hmm _ thought Eaglepaw _reminds me of LightningClan….Wait, LightningClan….LIGHTNINGCLAN!_

Eaglepaw swiftly climbed a tree and started jumping from branch to branch, heading fast to the ForestClan camp.

"LIGHTNINGCLAN!" she yowled as her lithe body burst into the clearing. Burningstar snapped her head up from the piece of fresh klll she was eating.

"What do you mean Eaglepaw? Is lightningClan attacking?" Burningstar commanded

"Yes! They're on their way _right now_!" Eaglepaw explained

"Okay, Beartooth, Crystalheart, Blackheart, Barkstripe, Waterwind and Whisperlake take the trees and find out what position they are in, if they get to the Tall Oak, attack them." Burningstar was giving out orders like crazy, her head whipping around, "Frosttiger, Eggtail, Tallstripe, Wavetalon and Sharpfang circle around LightningClan and push them backwards. If they get as far as the Tall Oak, attack but let the treejumpers attack first." The two groups of warriors burst out of camp and headed to their positions.

"Now, I want Saphirepaw, Shadowpaw, Sagepaw and Rubypaw protecting the queens, kits, and elders. Dewfeather and Fernpaw will be outside the medicine cat den protecting the herbs as well as pulling badly injured cats into heal."

"As for the rest of you, you will be attacking any LightningClan cats that get into camp." Burningstar finished her orders and continued, "Do not expect this to be an easy win, LightningClan has declared war, and that means they won't stop until either of us has to beg for mercy. A war is what they want, a war is what they will get!"

Every cat was now in their positions, Saphirepaw glaring at Burningstar; obviously because she was much older than the fighting apprentices and wanted to be out in the action. There was a very high-pitched yowl and ten LightningClan warriors came bursting into camp.

Eaglepaw quickly ran over to Fernpaw, "I've never fought before! This is going to be _very _interesting."

"At least you _get_ to fight!" complained Fernpaw

"Hey, you _also_ get to fight!" Eaglepaw said.

"Ooooh! Yes defending the herbs is _such _a dangerous job!" Fernpaw countered," It's not like LightningClan is going to attack our herbs!"

"Just... fight!" Eaglepaw yowled as a bulky warrior came tumbling into her. She instinctively lashed out with her front claws, then sprang away. _I know barely anything about fighting!_ She thought, _well, I have watched some of the warriors fight, so I know a little bit._

The LightningClan tom hissed and swiped his paw towards Eaglepaw's face. She flinched back, but he still ended up scratching her across the nose. Eaglepaw, using her small body against his bulky one. She sped around him and jumping on his back, sinking her claws into his shoulders, and sinking her teeth into his scruff. The tom yowled and tried to back against a tree. but Eaglepaw jumped off just in time. She swiped her claws across his face. The lightningClan warrior gave one last shriek and pelted away back through the tunnel.

Eaglepaw looked around, panting, and saw Saphirepaw and Sagepaw fighting of a scrawny she-cat near the nursery. She heard a yowl and turned to see that Burningstar had driven off one of the last LightningClan warriors. Eaglepaw heard another yowl of pain and turned towards the noise. This time to see Silverflight being mauled by a white and brown tom.

Eaglepaw pelted over to her mother and clawed the side of the attacking tom, hissing. The tom clawed Silverflight one last time, whispering, "Serves you right Silverflight. Now _die_," leaving a deep bloody wound on Silverflight's stomach before running away with two ForestClan warriors chasing after him.

"Silverflight?" Eaglepaw whispered," Silverflight!" she said, this time her voice full of dread and grief. Fernpaw came limping over and when she saw her mother, collapsed right next to Eaglepaw and whimpered.

"Eaglepaw... Fernpaw?" whispered Silverflight, her eyes only half open.

"Mother!" they both gasped.

"My sweets, I love you both very much..." she started to cough, then spoke again, "But there is something you two must know," Silverflight coughed again then continued. "Your true father is... Harrenclaw... from Lightningclan." her breath shuddered, then she fell silent.

"No, _no_!" Eaglepaw wailed, planting her paws on the wound in Silverflight's stomach. She looked back at Fernpaw for help, but her sister just sat there, dumbfounded.

"Help me!" Eaglepaw begged Fernpaw. Fernpaw snapped out of it and then pushed Eaglepaw aside, putting her ear to Silverflight's muzzle. Fernpaw stood up shaking her head, her eyes clouding with grief and brimming with emotion.

"She's...gone…"


	8. Chapter 7

**Okay sorry to everyone for waiting for the world's LONGEST update EVER. But here's the story!**

"No, no, no, no,no, no, no, no!" yowled Eaglepaw, Fernpaw shuddering.

"Guys, come here please," Snowshadow whispered," Remember, she was my sister." Fernpaw and Eaglepaw nodded, following the black and white queen to the nursery.

"You two can sleep with me tonight." Snowshadow meowed, curling around Nightkit and Shadowkit. Eaglepaw nodded, while Fernpaw stared off into space.

"I should go get Silverflight prepared." she mumbled, backing out of the den clumsily. _I better go talk to her_ Eaglepaw thought looking at Snowshadow, the young queen nodded. Eaglepaw padded out of the den, walking over to the spot where Fernpaw was sitting.

"What's wrong?" Eaglepaw asked,

"There is a prophecy, the prophecy says that all of our loved ones will die." Fernpaw whispered, Eaglepaw's eyes widened in shock.

"What's the full prophecy?"

"_When the burning eagle flies down to the sun dappled fern. A dream from the past consumes them both; destroying all they love, and causing them to rise up against the great hunger that is threatening to destroy all." _ Fernpaw stated. Eaglepaw stared at her sister with shock, her mouth gaping.

"So, what you are telling me is that everyone we love is going to _die_?" she exclaimed. Fernpaw nodded slowly, thinking.

"Maybe," she considered "But we can't be sure. We still need to get more information." Fernpaw looked at Eaglepaw's nose.

"Come on, I'll give you some marigold for your scratch." she meowed padding into the medicine cat's den. Eaglepaw followed her in, gasping in shock as she saw Bloodpaw and Frosttiger sitting town on the floor of the den. A long scratch across Bloodpaw's flank was still leaking blood, and Frosttiger kept licking at the herbs plastered to a wound on his stomach. Sharpfang pushed past Fernpaw and Eaglepaw, stomping up to Bloodpaw and slapped him across the muzzle.

"You should have stayed in camp you mouse brain!" she screeched, Bloodpaw just snorted in response. Fernpaw turned back around, a small pile of marigold clamped firmly in her jaws.

"Sit still." she commanded, starting to chew up the leaves. Eaglepaw's wound had opened up again and was as painful as it was when she first got it. She sighed and sat down, watching Fernpaw as her sister spat out the chewed up leaves and started rubbing the paste into Eaglepaw's wound with her paw. She flinched as her wound stung, but the pain gradually faded away. Fernpaw stepped back and dipped her paws in a small puddle behind her.

"You know, I've been thinking…" Eaglepaw started

"Hmm?" Fernpaw asked

"I was thinking about what Silverflight said right before she died. You know, about this Harrenclaw," she continued speaking carefully, keeping in mind that someone could hear them, "Silverflight said that he was our father. And that he was from _LightningClan_."

Fernpaw answered," I know right! I can't believe it!" she sounded exasperated, "Our _mother_, _our_ mother! Become mates with a...a...cat from a different Clan! How? Why? How did cats _not_ find out?"

"I don't know Fernpaw…" Eaglepaw sounded sad and tired as she talked, "I still can't believe she was murdered." Fernpaw nodded sadly.

"Wait, who is Harrenclaw anyways?" she asked, Eaglepaw shrugged.

" I guess we'll find out at the gathering tomorrow." Eaglepaw said. Fernpaw nodded again,

"We can wait 'till everyone has left, then we go searching for him." She suggested.

"Yes. Sounds like a plan," Eaglepaw agreed.

"I don't know if I'm excited, or scared, or both!" Fernpaw exclaimed,

"Well, lets not worry about that right now," Eaglepaw nodded her head to the middle of camp where there lifeless mother was lying as still as a stone, "Now how about we go grieve the death of our mother with Snowshadow."

The two sisters padded together towards Silverflight, their fur brushing; crouching down next to Snowshadow, they prepared themselves for a long night's mourn.


	9. Chapter 8

_Fernpaw stretched and padded out of the medicine den_, looking up at the sky. The moon was already setting, and cats were gathering at the edge of the clearing to head to the gathering.

"Cats of ForestClan! Gather!" Burningstar's yowl rang loud and clear, cutting through the sound of excited whispering, " Sharpfang, Eggtail, Whisperlake, Eaglepaw, Shadowpaw, Sagepaw, Sunfang, Willowpool, Aquafrost, Fallenflight, Stagfoot, Saphirepaw, Tallstripe, Roundbelly, Bloodpaw, Eaglepaw and any elders that wish to come will attend the gathering and represent ForestClan."

All of the cats she called padded up and stood next to her, Frosttiger, Dewfeather and Fernpaw also padded up, including several of the elders.

"Lets go." Burningstar meowed, leading her group of cats out of the tunnel and into the dense forest that gave ForestClan it's name.

The path to the island that held gatherings was a long and twisted one. Even though Fernpaw had grown muscle in her injured leg, it still took great effort to make it there.

"Almost there Fernpaw," Dewfeather meowed," You just have to hold out until we pass the stepping stones."

"_Stepping stones!?" _the medicine cat apprentice screeched

Dewfeather gave a sigh," Yes I am afraid so. And the worst part: only skilled ForestClan warriors are able to cross those stones."

"What. Were. You. _Thinking_ bringing me to hunks of rocks in a giant lake where I can easily fall to my death?!"

"Don't worry, I'll have Stagfoot carry you over," Dewfeather gave a small humorous smile.

"Hmph" Fernpaw grunted

Stagfoot just then came over and picked up Fernpaw by the scruff.

"Sorry Fernpaw," he mumbled as she was bumped along and slightly dipped in the water as the warrior jumped from rock to stone to rock until they finally reached the island.

"I feel so humiliated," Fernpaw complained, "Thanks though."

"Sorry," Stagfoot once again said,"Glad to help."

The brown warrior walked away heading towards a group of small skinny cats. Fernpaw guessed they were FieldClan.

"Come and sit with the medicine cats, Fernpaw." Dewfeather meowed, leading her apprentice near a big tree with four rocks in front.

"That is where the leaders sit. Each have their own rock, with a small ledge on the front where their deputies sit." The medicine cat gestured with her tail. "We medicine cats sit right here in a patch of bracken, that is surprisingly warm and comfortable." Fernpaw nodded, looking around the clearing for her sister.

"Hey, can I go talk to Eaglepaw?" she asked, Dewfeather nodded, padding over to Snowpoppy. Fernpaw walked away, pushing past some cats who smelled like fish. She found Eaglepaw talking to some FieldClan apprentices.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Fernpaw asked, Eaglepaw nodded, padding after her.

"Have you spotted him yet?" she asked, Eaglepaw shook her head.

"No I-" she was cut off as a yowl cut through the clearing.

"Every cat, the gathering has started!" A white tom with amber eyes yowled. The clearing instantly grew quiet, there were a few whispers, but those were quieted by shushes from other cats.

All three leaders nodded in turn to a light brown and black she-cat.

"FieldClan is doing well!" Ospreystar, the she-cat, said," Rabbits have burrowed into their dens early, but we still have plenty of prey."

"We have scented strange cats on our territory and blood spots. Not of prey, but cats. I think we should all be careful and watch out for more of these scents."

Ospreystar stepped back and a handsome white tom padded forward on his rock.

"That must be Lightstar." Eaglepaw whispered

"The Clan is thriving even with the chilling temperatures. We have also scented these rogues and have seen blood."

"Our builders have now constructed barricades keeping the fish in multiple separated spots." Lightstar had a proud glimmer in his eyes, "We have one new apprentice: Oceanpaw."

All RippleClan cats, some FieldClan and ForestClan cats yowled the new apprentice's name.

"That's a smart idea. You know, the fish thing," Fernpaw said to Eaglepaw, "A smart idea for a RippleClan cat!"

Eaglepaw and Fernpaw chuckled. Then Fernpaw heard many hisses of anger, mostly from ForestClan; as Quickstar of LightningClan stood up at the edge of the yellow rock on which he stood.

"Cats of all Clans!" He yowled, " I will say what I have to say first: LightningClan is thriving, new kits were born by Freezetalon, and we have one new warrior. Frozendawn."

LightningClan cheered the new warrior's name, and a few other Clan cats cheered half-heartedly.

"I assure you, I have reason for the defensive attack we brought upon ForestClan!"

"_Defensive?_ Yeah right!" Fernpaw whispered to Eaglepaw

"What reason can they possibly come up with, to bring justice to their decision?" Eaglepaw meowed, just loud enough for quite a few cats to hear.

"Eaglepaw! Keep it down!" Fernpaw scowled

Quickstar continued, "StarClan told us to! They said that if we didn't attack ForestClan, then ForestClan would've killed all of us instead!"

There were protests of anger, disbelief, and confusment," This is outrageous! It is a lie!" Eaglepaw yowled to Quickstar, as she ran up to his rock, her back arched," StarClan told you _nothing_ of this!"

"Fernpaw," Burningstar called out into the crowd, "Please take your sister away and bring her to Dewfeather."

Fernpaw padded over to her Eaglepaw, the medicine cat apprentice's eyes filled with flames of anger, "Eaglepaw, what. Were. You. _Thinking?!_" Fernpaw pushed her sister back to where the medicine cats sat and glared at her.

Burningstar turned to face Quickstar, "I see your eyes are full of laughter Quickstar. Do you think it is funny that you launched a ruthless attack, and may I mention; with _no reason at all, _at our camp, killing one of our queens? she hissed, her voice still darkly calm, "And I ask, is this the reason that you faked a small meeting with me, and then turned it into a battle? You killed many cats remember? Did StarClan tell you to do that too? Hmm?"

The other leaders gasped, and their curious eyes suddenly turned hateful. Quickstar's eyes filled with fear and defiance.

"Once again. StarClan told me to." his voice slightly shook as he said this. Fernpaw knew why Quickstar was scared. He had three leaders; three _Clans_ that were basically his enemy now.

"Ooo that sucks!" Fernpaw whispered. Dewfeather shot her a glare. Eaglepaw was still glaring at Quickstar with hostile eyes, and Snowpoppy's head was down.

"Burningstar, your summary of the last moon please." Lightstar said

"Ah yes." The ForestClan leader said," Well as you know, LightningClan attacked us, killing Silverflight."

There were gasps of despair and surprise from cats around the island.

"LightningClan attacked us also when Quickstar arranged a 'meeting'. But, we also have three new apprentices. Eclipsepaw, Eaglepaw, and the medicine cat apprentice Fernpaw. Our Clan is thriving and prey is plentiful." Burningstar finished her speech.

There were chants of 'Eaglepaw, Fernpaw, Eclipsepaw!'.

"The gathering is at an end! Time to share tongues!" Ospreystar yowled.


End file.
